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Tony Blair is closing his sports foundation after 10 years, saying it has "reached the end of its natural life". The former prime minister, who set up the body after leaving Downing Street, said his focus was now on his new non-profit institute on globalisation.

The sports charity's latest accounts show that its income dropped from £203,972 in 2015 to £82,471 last year, which a spokesman said was "because it was anticipated it would be wound down" after 10 years.

Funding over the years had largely come from Mr Blair, who has donated £700,000 since 2007, the spokesman said.

The body, is one of three charities Mr Blair launched after quitting as prime minister. He has also enjoyed a lucrative career as a consultant to governments and private firms, including JP Morgan, the investment bank.

The Tony Blair Sports Foundation has been run by Jeanette Pickard, Mr Blair’s former office manager in his Sedgefield constituency, along with a development manager. The cost of employing the two members of staff in the 2015/16 financial year exceeded the charity's income for the year by more than £10,000, according to the latest accounts.

Mr Blair launched the body in 2007 to boost the number of coaches working with children in the North East across a range of sports.

He said it had recruited, trained and placed 6,132 coaches with clubs.

"From its early beginnings 10 years ago, even though we were ambitious for the organisation, I could not have predicted that it would turn out to be the amazing success that it has been," he said.

Steve Cram, the former athlete who acted as an ambassador to the charity, said: "The foundation leaves behind a strong platform for others to follow - and even though it's come to the end of its path, many of those whom it has helped will continue to work in sport volunteering and leadership for many years to come."

Last year Mr Blair announced that he was winding up the companies through which he has channelled commercial work, in order to open the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, which is focused on addressing the effects of globalisation.